Big Leak in High Winds... Where???

[Rob]

Hi Folks - I used to post all the time on this list, but I have been off the site for about a year. I have a question regarding a leak on my 1979 Catalina 27 Tall Rig. When pointing hard in high winds (25 mph and up), my boat has a tendecy to pool water under the starboard settee. I originally thought that I had a leak on the rail where the jib sheet car resides. I attributed the leak to having the rail underwater during gusts. The last time I took her out in high winds, I had a full boat - 6 people, so she sat lower than normal. We were rocked over hard all day, and all of us were in the cockpit. Upon returning to harbor, I noticed water over the sole *yks. A quick inspection yielded water in the engine compartment, funnelling into the bilge. Never underestimate a nervous skipper with a manual bilge pump. After pumping her out, I found copius water (one to three gallons) in the starboard AND the port settee. I was pissed.I suspected the stuffing box, but it was okay, normal drip rate. I did see some water around the base of the rudder post housing. I have never taken the rudder off of the boat. Does the rudder tube have a packing gland? If so, how is this unit best checked/serviced? I need to eliminate it as a possible leak source.Anyone else have these symptoms? If so, what did you do to fix it?I am assuming that the water is coming from one source, and then swirling around the belly of the boat as it settles into the low spots. Assuming the water is coming from the rudder tube, then it does have a clear path to the starboar settee, and could leak into the port settee if the water got high enough.Anyway - thanks for the help!Rob

 

[Peter]

c27 big leak

If she really only let's in water when you've got the rail under or being knocked around I would check the deck/hull joint under the rubrail. Most c27's leak there after all these years. You might also check the stern locker, as I've heard that on many c27's there is not a good seal between the bulkeads and the locker after all these years, perhaps allowing some water into the engine compartment.Peter

 

[Barnical Bob]

big leak in high winds - suggistion

To locate your leak take baby powder and sprinkle it over all suppected areas- you will notice tracks where water is entering.. I had a leak when healing hard to port- and at the end of the day I would remove 5 to 10 gallons of water from the boat. Tthe rub-rail was suspect so I caulked it - still had water coming in - finaly I used the baby powder and discovered a very small leak in the stern where a screw was missing. good luck

 

[joe]

fresh water tank

I found a leak in my fresh water tank. when topped off it would spill out the cap vent when the boat was heeled over. Check the tank vent, cap and connections to the pump.

 

[Rob]

Good Ideas So Far

I have been suspecting the aft locker bulkheads due to the fact that the leaks only seem to happen when the boat is fully loaded with 4 or more people, which cause the stern to squat. I think I'll try the baby powder. Seems like a pain in the ass, but the only way to know for sure. Probably make the boat smell good, too. At this time I am going to rule out the water tank, as I am not using it (empty). I'll let you know what I find, and thanks for the input.RobP.s. - still looking for info on the rudder post and tube.